Don't Forget
by DulavityFic
Summary: Rin has turned 19 and can finally voice her choice to return to Lord Sesshomaru's side. Not only that but it has been four years since the last time he went to visit her. But as fate would have it, the same day that they meet again Rin suffers a terrible accident during a struggle with a demon that causes her to lose all memory of ever falling in love with Lord Sesshomaru.
1. Chapter 1

*I do not own Inuyasha. It and any characters that may appear in it belong solely to Rumiko Takahashi. Please don't sue me.*

Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, could feel a pair of brown eyes staring intently at him. They had, in fact, been eyeing him for quite some time but he had decided to ignore them. Until now.

"Rin," he admonished and slowly opened his eyes to reveal their amber color.

The young fifteen year-old human girl felt as if his stare reached the very core of her thoughts so she quickly looked away, "Sorry."

She hadn't meant to stare at him for so long but considering her feelings for him it was to be expected. She couldn't help herself when it came to him. She loved everything about him. She loved the way his silver hair floated with the wind. The way he held himself up with such pride and dignity. She loved the blue crescent moon that centered his forehead and how his boyish hair outlined its shape. She loved the two magenta stripes that contoured his face and the single ones that lay on top of his eyelids. She loved the way his armor and white with red kimono fit him so snuggly that it hinted at his lean-built body, the way that the sash tied around his waist defined his stance, and how all of his attire gave him an air of elegance. She loved the fluffy part of him that always rested on his right shoulder and recalled how many times as a little girl it had kept her warm when it had been too cold at night. She loved...she loved him.

Rin knew that if she shared her feelings with anyone they would say that she was still too young to understand such a complex emotion like love. But she knew better than that, it wasn't because she was too young-after all Kagome herself had fallen in love with Inuyasha at the same age as her-but because she had fallen in love with Lord Sesshomaru.

But they didn't know him the way that she did. She knew that he was kind and gentle; that he wasn't cold hearted like many people assumed, but rather, his demon pride prevented him from appearing weak before others. So much so that he had made a habit of masking his emotions behind an expressionless countenance. She also knew that he cared for her, he had to, otherwise he wouldn't have saved and protected her as much he did. So, how wasn't she supposed to fall in love with him? He cared for her and in an extremely subtle way-so subtle that those that couldn't understand him wouldn't even see it-made sure that she was happy.

Rin stood from the spot she had taken next to him and moved to pick some flowers nearby. She sighed. It hurt, loving him and knowing that he would never love her in the same way. He was a demon and she was a human, to Lord Sesshomaru that made a huge difference. And even if by some miracle he happened to return her feelings his demon pride would never allow him to act on them. Not to mention their huge age gap. Still, being allowed to be with him and stand this close to him was enough for her. She was as close as anyone could get to him and honestly, she really couldn't ask for more. Although he was often gone on business (whatever that entailed) he never stayed away too long and visited her often. She couldn't wait until she turned eighteen and was free to travel with him, Jaken, and Ah-Uhn again. After that moment she was determined to never leave his side again. After all, she meant it when she said that she would be with him forever.

Little did Rin know that this encounter would be the last before Sesshomaru's three-year-long planned absence. He had some business to attend to and it was a long way away, it was urgent, and he had to get it over with even if it meant that he had to be seperated from Rin longer than usual. He wasn't exactly happy at the thought of leaving Rin for so long, but it wasn't like he could take her with him. The journey was just too dangerous and he couldn't afford to be unnecessarily distracted by her. So she would have to stay and that was final. He side glanced at Rin, deciding at that moment that he would tell her of his plans when she was done picking her flowers. She might be sad but she would be fine, because his Rin was no typical easily swayed human. His Rin was strong and filled with loyalty and courage. She would wait for him until he came back and that worked just fine.

Upon returning his gaze to the trees that outlined the meadow they were in, he noticed that they swayed in tune with the breeze. The flowers scattered about the grass made beautiful patterns of violet, blue, yellow, orange, red and rose hues. Looking up, rose and orange shades overpowered the sky with the setting sun. Fewer clouds hovered and stars struggled to take their place. He needed to leave soon, it was time.

Rin finished picking her flowers, stood, and once again took her place next to Sesshomaru's side. They always sat at the center of the meadow where conveniently there was a huge rock. Everytime that they came here it was always the same, he would sit against the rock and she would sit next to him where she could have a clear view of him. A smile spread across Rin's face that reflected the warmth she felt in her heart, she would never get enough of this. Her and him, alone, together...She began to create a flower crown never faltering in her secret smile.

"Rin."

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama?"

"I will be gone for some time."

She froze, the warmth in heart with it. She always hated this part, the part when he had to leave. A lump began to form in her throat but she continued to smile brightly up at him.

"How long will you be away this time Lord Sesshomaru?" she didn't really expect an answer.

He stared at her still smiling face and returned his eyes to the sky. He didn't owe her any explanations but he supposed he could answer her since they wouldn't be meeting for a long time.

"Three years at the least."

Rin's eyes faltered in pain for a bit. It was a good thing that he hadn't been looking at her. This would be the longest he stayed away from her, it made her heart break and race at the same time. However, she had no say in his actions so all she did was pick up the rest of her flowers and stand before him. She nodded, never removing that single smile that she reserved solely for him. He looked at her solidly and then stood to walk half way between the forest and the meadow.

"Jaken!"

A moment later the little toad demon appeared from between the trees with Ah-Uhn tagging along. For a small demon he walked amazingly fast towards Lord Sesshomaru. Jaken knew of his Lord's plans which was why he had decided to wait for them to finish their conversation in the trees, he thought Rin would appreciate the time alone given the fact that they wouldn't be seeing each other for a long time.

"Yes, my lord?"

"We're leaving."

"Yes, my lord."

Rin stood next to Jaken after leaving something in Ah-Uhn's saddle. She didn't hesitate to stare directly at Lord Sesshomaru this time. She wanted to have her fill of him for as long as she could before he left her. He looked at her for about five seconds then turned to leave.

"Rin, you behave while we're gone," she heard Jaken say just before he ran after Lord Sesshomaru who was already a good distance away. "WAIT! Sesshomaru-sama!"

Rin waved at their fading figures which became darker with the night sky. When they were a safe distance away she let herself fall to her knees no longer resisting the tears that had fought to fall from her eyes. She cried like she had never let herself cry before. She would miss him, she would miss him terribly.

Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, side glanced to something that caught his attention from within a pocket on Ah-Uhn's saddle. They were the flowers that Rin had picked earlier. Foolish. At that same instant he caught the scent of her tears. He closed his eyes and walked determinedly.


	2. Chapter 2

*I do not own Inuyasha. It and any characters that may appear in it belong solely to Rumiko Takahashi. Please don't sue me.*

 **Four years later...**

Rin, like many nights before this one, had snuck out into the meadow where she used to meet Lord Sesshomaru on his brief visits. Her thoughts concerning the great demon had once again overpowered her need for sleep. It was at these times, more frequent as of late (if possible), that all she desired was to be surrounded by the beautifully blooming flowers of the meadow. The touch of them combined with the sounds of the night and the sight of the star-filled sky soothed her raging thoughts. His absence had triggered a need within her to be as close as she could to objects/things that he had once touched, like these flowers. Granted, they were very likely not the same exact ones, but just the thought that he had once been here in their special place brought forth an almost uncontrollable feeling of love or excitement or whatever this warm feeling in her heart was. She loved it. She loved him, the years had done nothing to lessen her affection. If anything, it had become stronger, a larger part of her. Which, thinking clearly, was complete nonsense because she had not seen him in four years. But she was in their meadow and in their meadow she didn't need to think clearly. Here she could savor this love that seemed to penetrate her very soul, invading her senses. She took a deep breath and smiled to herself, she looked forward to these moments when she could enjoy thinking about meeting Lord Sesshomaru again.

During the first three years, he had continued to send her beautiful Kimonos, each including a small note from Jaken letting her know that they were okay but that the date of their return was still undetermined. He was even kind enough to mention that choosing her Kimonos was something that Lord Sesshomaru had taken upon himself, even if he never wrote her anything. For that reason alone, she treasured each and every one of the gifts he had sent her because each was physical proof that he had thought of her, and she had many. Yet, for almost a year, all communication had stopped and only rumors had reached her ears from the West. Rumors saying that the lands of the West no longer belonged to Sesshomaru, that one of his most trusted generals had incited a seizure of power and succeeded. Rin refused to give any credit to said rumors because not only were they ridiculous but they very clearly underestimated Lord Sesshomaru, he was not someone to be trifled with. Rin was positive he had his reasons for losing contact with her and despite what everyone in the village said, what even Inuyasha, Kagome, and the others whispered behind her back, he would come back for her. No matter what. He always did.

The somber turn of her thoughts fought to push forward a heavy dose of reality.

"No, not yet..." Rin sighed, closing and opening her eyes slowly. She decided to focus her attention on the star invaded sky and the way their light made an irrational path throughout its entirety.

Where had time gone? The days that led to this night seemed so far away and yet, in their moment, they had felt never-ending. Countless times she had wished for time to pass by quickly so that he would return to her faster, and each time she had been disappointed to realize that the day was very likely still far away. Now she was nineteen and had remained a year longer than she wished to be in the village. Oh, she loved and cherished everyone-Lady Kaede, Kagome & Inuyasha, Sango & Miroku and all of their little ones, Shippo, Kirara, etc.-but they all knew that she always meant to return to Lord Sesshomaru. The choice had been hers from the start, and now that she knew how to live and thrive among people, she was ready to return to her beloved Lord's side.

For a long time Rin had been afraid that she would forget little details about Lord Sesshomaru, like his clean and masculine scent that formed a mixture of fresh, crisp soap and something else, his deep voice that chilled when angry but had only ever been reassuring towards her, the surprising secret smiles that spread across his handsome face here and there... Turns out it had been a foolish fear since her thoughts, being so focused on him most of the time, hadn't allowed her to completely forget. Especially when she did things like today where she returned to the spots she had been with him. They triggered her in the most delightful way.

She could never forget him, not willingly. He had brought her back to life and presented her with a new reason to live. Before Rin had only known pain when her family had been murdered by those bandits and then further when the villagers she had lived with constantly beat her. At the time she had always been told to be afraid of demons because they were cruel, but she had become more afraid of humans and their selfish wish to benefit themselves rather than help others. Those had been the kind of people that she had known. Then Lord Sesshomaru had come into her life and protected her with everything he had, because of him she had met Inuyasha, Kagome, and all of her other human friends who had shown nothing but love and kindness towards her. It was because of Lord Sesshomaru that she remembered what it felt like to be surrounded by people that loved her once again, him, a demon.

The memory strengthened Rin's resolve to be reunited with Lord Sesshomaru. The thought of them together once again made her feel like she could do anything she set her mind to, maybe even search for him. Her mind stopped. Why hadn't she considered that before? She knew how to defend herself, thanks to everyone, so she was more than capable of doing the journey. Had she been so focused on the idea of him returning to her that the possibility of her coming to him hadn't even crossed her mind? Kagome and Inuyasha might not like the idea...but she was old enough now to do so if she wanted. Before Rin could think up reasons why it would be a bad idea, she began to create a mental list of things she needed to do, including what she would write on the missive she left for Lady Kaede. Her heart began to race.

It was summer and the wind brushing at her hair was very pleasing. The night was warm and silent, a little too peaceful for the idea surging within her head. Feeling alone, Rin permitted herself to say a name that she often whispered in the hope that it would somehow reach Lord Sesshomaru and cause him to come for her faster.

"Lord Sesshomaru," and then, "Sesshomaru…"

The motion of his name on her lips sent shivers down to her heart, it made every sensation in her body come alive. She needed him, desperately so. Briefly, she wondered how she had gone so long without him. Tears formed at the corner of her eyes and the lump in her throat challenged her will to speak.

"Yo kid, what the hell are you doing out here!? It's dangerous being out so late stupid."

Rin jumped at the sound of the familiar voice and sat up as Inuyasha closed the distance between them.

"I...I thought everyone was asleep."

"Your point being..?"

"Well, I didn't think I would get caught."

"With two demons, a half demon, a demon slayer, two priestesses and a monk in camp? Unlikely, kid." Rin knew he was right, which made her wonder if they had known about her other escapades too.

"Kagome asked me to come talk to you," he confirmed her suspicion making her groan inwardly. "Not that I know what the hell she wants me to say but I'd rather not get on her bad side if you know what I mean" he shivered slightly before taking a seat next to her.

Rin smiled despite herself mostly because she did, in fact, know what he meant. Also, because she knew that this was his subtle way of showing that he cared and worried for her too.

"What are you doing out here anyway?"

"I couldn't sleep"

"So, you go to a meadow in the middle of the night where you could become easy prey for any demon that comes prowling around here? Are you okay?"

She laughed, "Okay, like you guys didn't show me how to defend myself."

Inuyasha grinned at her, "that's beside the point, kid." Suddenly his expression became serious.

"I heard you call his name..."

"...I couldn't help it," she smiled looking up at the sky again.

Inuyasha felt awkward and thought it would have been best if he hadn't said anything, but that wasn't in his nature. He felt that it was always best to be direct and to the point, especially if they were talking about his cold, distant, and insensitive older half-brother. No, Inuyasha had to concede that Sesshomaru wasn't as cold-hearted as he initially thought, but he could still be arrogant and self-absorbed. It pissed Inuyasha off, that and the fact that he hadn't thought to let Rin know whether he was okay or not. Inuyasha was well aware of the situation in the West, not that he gave a shit about it, but he was aware. He, also, found it hard to believe that Sesshomaru had been bested by some mediocre demon general. This conclusion didn't come from admiration or anything, just that Inuyasha knew Sesshomaru was a smart and resilient fighter. Which was why there was no reason for him to leave Rin in the dark. Did the guy even realize how much he meant to her?

Yeah, Inuyasha and practically everyone knew about Rin's feelings for Sesshomaru. It was painfully obvious; no one would wait so long for someone that they didn't love. Or maybe they would if they could have been given more than an "I'll be back someday" bullshit. The point was Sesshomaru had left and given Rin hope that he would return, but after so long they had all begun to doubt, all of them except Rin.

"I know he's coming back," Rin told him, almost as if she had read his mind.

"How?"

"He said he would, so he will, that simple."

"Yeah well...you do know him better than any of us. At least someone fucking should."

Rin smiled slightly at that. Inuyasha shook his head then stood up.

"Get up, we're going home"

Rin stood up grudgingly.

"You're no fun."

"Its three in the morning!" he shouted after Rin who had already run ahead, nearly reaching the edge of the trail that led to the village.

"Hey! Who said you could walk ahead?! Hey!Kid!" Inuyasha ran after her, shocked that he had actually been the one left behind.

Inuyasha continued to grumble all the way to the village while Rin just laughed at his childish antics. Once they reached Lady Kaede's hut, Inuyasha turned to look at her and said, "Get some sleep kid and don't go doing something stupid like this again." He ruffled her hair and then took off in the direction of the hut he shared with Kagome.

Rin smiled faintly and then slowly entered the hut that she lived in with Lady Kaede. The old woman was still fast asleep, or at least did a good job of pretending to. Rin tiptoed in further feeling a little sheepish. She didn't really want to worry Lady Kaede just because she could be foolish and impulsive. After laying down on her futon, Rin covered herself with her sheet trying to ignore any guilt that came with employing her new plan to meet Lord Sesshomaru. Instead, she thought soon, oh so very soon…

Lord Sesshomaru rested his frame against the thick bark of a tree, his eyes were closed as if in deep thought. Rain, merciless and harsh poured down in a great rush around him, Jaken, and Ah-Uhn. This was most unfortunate since it would delay his urgent arrival to Inuyasha's village.

He had not meant to stay away as long as he did, but it had become inevitable after the foolish General Akura decided he could outsmart Sesshomaru and overtake his lands. The very idea was laughable but Sesshomaru needed to know just how many of his underlings were conspiring against him. Needless to say, the entire debacle had taken little more than he had expected due to its depth within the military hierarchy. Akura had cost him four of his ten most trusted generals and two prominent families associated with the royal family. Then, just as the situation was set to conclude a year ago, Sesshomaru was informed that Akura had become aware of his association with a young human girl. The implication of blackmail through the use of Rin had infuriated Sesshomaru to the point of calm clarity. He would not leave anything to chance and ordered the immediate death of direct conspirators, while their direct and indirect relations and associates were to be arrested and thoroughly and personally interrogated by no one else but himself. It was this decision which had prompted the additional year without contact with Rin. At the time it had been the appropriate action. Until Sesshomaru found out that Akura had managed to escape with one of his vassals just as he was set to be brought up before him. The incompetence had placed him in a terrible mood and so now here he was, returning to Inuyasha's village in order to retrieve Rin. Two of his remaining royal generals had stayed behind to guard his empire while the remaining four were instructed to head in each direction to search for Akura.

This was not the way he had hoped to return to Rin, especially after the way that he had left her.

His hand clenched as he recalled the scent of her tears and the sound of her low sobs. Hurting her was something that he could not forgive, even more so from himself.

The rain showed no signs of letting up, he would have to move forward.

Nearby, Jaken and Ah-Uhn rested after traveling for nine days and eight nights. Jaken was surprised that exhaustion had not overtaken him but then again, Ah-Uhn had been carrying him most of the way so it made sense. They all sat under the protection of a great mass of trees which prevented them from getting wet, though there were still some raindrops seeping through a few gaps. The scent of fresh water and earth was heavy, and the wind was warm despite the fact that the sun had hidden behind dark clouds. They were still a distance away from Inuyasha's village so if they didn't leave soon they probably wouldn't reach it before the sunset, which was not an option for Lord Sesshomaru, Jaken thought.

Jaken briefly pondered his master's mood and sighed. Things had become more complicated than they should have been and it had placed his master in a permanent state of annoyance. All of the traitors from the West had been taken care of, except for the one who had incited it all; a mistake for which Rin could potentially pay for. The very possibility of it had incited Lord Sesshomaru's immediate journey towards Inuyasha's village. Despite his lord's calm reserve, Jaken could tell Lord Sesshomaru had missed Rin terribly and his concern for her safety had been the deciding factor for his return. Being away from her had darkened his temper and although these weren't the best circumstances, Jaken was looking forward to his master's improved disposition.

The rain showed no sign of letting up which did little to help Jaken's circumstance. The little imp sighed, this would probably only worsen Lord Sesshomaru's mood and leave him with another bump on the head if he didn't watch himself. It just wouldn't do.

"Jaken, we're leaving."

The rain was still coming down full force and Jaken sighed again, of course.

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama."

Lord Sesshomaru walked into the rain and began to fly in the direction of Inuyasha's village. The rain obviously didn't bother him. The thing was that Jaken didn't particularly like to get wet, well anyone in a similar situation would probably feel the same. It wasn't like it was normal to be traveling when it was raining as hard as it was.

"Wait! Sesshomaru-sama! Come Ah-Uhn, or we'll be left behind."

Jaken stood from his place on the ground and grabbed Ah-Uhn's rains. He mounted the beast as quickly as he could given his size, a tiny foot struggled to reach the top of the saddle. After various failed attempts, Jaken was finally able to follow after Lord Sesshomaru. All the way he covered his head with his olive-green kimono while shaking his head. Such impatience was warranted but was it really necessary to travel in the harsh rain as well? He supposed the sooner they reached Rin the better.

*I look forward to all your feedback*


	3. Chapter 3

*I do not own Inuyasha. It and any characters that may appear in it belong solely to Rumiko Takahashi. Please don't sue me.*

It had been raining all morning and afternoon. Thick, fat rain that threatened to ruin Rin's plan of reaching Lord Sesshomaru. She couldn't help but be disappointed, especially because thus far things had been running smoothly.

Preparing for her journey had not been as complicated as Rin expected, especially when she decided to leave behind most of her kimonos. Although they were very valuable to her, they could not replace Lord Sesshomaru and at the moment meeting him was her only goal. Besides, she could always come back and get them once she was reunited with him. So, upon parting, Rin planned to wear one of the demon slayer outfits Sango had given her beneath a plain blue and orange colored kosode. The demon slayer outfit mimicked Sango's, except Rin's followed a black, blue, and gray color scheme rather than Sango's black, pink, and red or Kohaku's black, yellow, and green. To take with her, Rin decided to pack only the bare essentials-like a spare demon slayer outfit, a hair brush, soap, money, etc.-and wrapped it all inside a dark blue piece of cloth that she then twisted and would tie at her chest so that it hung over her right shoulder and under her left arm. If anyone asked, she would say that she was going to take a bath and was carrying her change of clothes within the bag, which wasn't exactly a lie. Additionally, she decided to take her sword and would bring along Kirara as an extra precaution. Not only would the little cat demon help Rin reach her destination quicker, and without questions, but she would also serve as a great and trustworthy companion. Rin could just say that she wanted to take Kirara with her so that Kirara could keep watch as Rin bathed, which was perfectly reasonable in her opinion. Then it had begun to rain which completely ruined Rin's excuse.

On the right side of Lady Kaede's house (if you were facing it) there was a medium wooden bench that Kagome asked Inuyasha place there for Rin. Before, when Sesshomaru came to visit, it had been the spot Rin would use to wait for him because it had a clear view of the sky. After the visits had stopped, Rin used it to enjoy the rain from a distance. She would sit as far back as she could, placing her back on the side of the hut. Then, she would pull up her knees to her chest and rest her head on her knees. She would look up at the sky and imagine seeing a figure in white and red with long flowy hair descend until he was right before her. When she wasn't thinking about him and simply having fun by herself, she would sit and extend her feet as far as they could go and kick them up and own or stick out a hand, letting the fresh water splash onto her skin. On rainy days the bench had been her special place, a place where she could daydream and laugh to herself, regardless of how strange it would seem to others.

Now, she sat on the bench just as she normally would except that rather than doing her usual thing, she hugged her knees and looked considerably dejected next to the falling rain.

"What's this? No crazy laughter or secret smiles?" Kagome asked as she took a seat next to Rin. Kagome's long black hair and red miko outfit were slightly damp from the rain, but otherwise she looked as beautiful and composed as ever, "Are you okay?"

Rin calmly raised her head, returned her feet on the ground, and after placing her hands at her sides on the bench said, "I wanted to take a bath…"

"That's what has you so sad? That you can't take a bath?" Kagome refused to believe it. It had been a long time since Kagome saw Rin this way, and concluded that it was probably due to the rumors they had been hearing regarding the Western lands. In an attempt to distract and improve Rin's mood Kagome let her know that Kohaku was due to visit the village soon.

"Really?" Rin's voice immediately rose to a happier pitch, but not for the reasons Kagome expected. After the events with Naraku, Rin's relationship with Kohaku had deepened. They had managed to become very close friends, despite the fact that he didn't visit often, and it had got to the point where they were each other's closest confidants. Whenever he happened to be in town they would usually take a stroll through the nearby woods or have a picnic at the meadow so that they could catch up on the latest events of their lives. Which was perfect because if Kohaku came into the village and she left with him along with Kirara, even if it was raining as hard as it was at that moment, no one would be the wiser. Everyone would simply assume that they were off doing their own thing as usual. Of course, this might place Kohaku in a bind for not only helping her but letting her go off by herself but Rin knew that she could count on Kohaku for anything, even this. Besides, if he was too afraid to let her go on her own and decided to come with her, that worked just fine too. All she really wanted was to see Lord Sesshomaru again, and then she would happily face the consequences of her actions.

"Do you know when he was planning to arrive?"

Kagome placed her right index finger on her bottom lip and looked up at the sky as if she were deep in thought, "Hrmm...I'm not really sure…" she looked at Rin again, "But I know that it's supposed to be this week."

Which meant it could be days from now, Rin resumed her dejected position

"Ah," Kagome laughed awkwardly, "I mean, he could get here today or tomorrow too, you know?"

"Yea…"

Kagome's expression became pensive as she observed Rin's saddened face. Something needed to be done in order to improve the young girl's mood, things just didn't seem right without Rin's positive energy. Kagome offered the only thing left she could think of, "Well, you know, rain _is_ water...You wouldn't be able to bathe, but it would be very much like a shower?" she ended uncertainly.

"Shower?" Rin's eyes brightened. Bathe, shower, whatever! The excuse had been presented and Rin wasn't about to lose her chance. "You're right! It shouldn't matter," Rin smiled broadly and stood up.

Kagome hadn't expected an immediate agreement, "Wait-"

Before Kagome could finish her sentence Rin ran inside and came out somehow differently dressed, sword in hand, and even...packed?

"Rin, wai-"

"Thanks so much for suggesting that," Rin interrupted quickly.

"But-"

"I'll be sure to be back before anyone worries."

"I didn't-"

"I should probably take Kirara, right?"

"I mean, I gue-"

"Kay, thanks byeeeee"

"Uh umm…" Kagome speechlessly watched as Rin quickly disappeared in the direction of Sango and Miroku's house. "...wait, what?" Something was definitely wrong about this.

By the time that Rin reached Sango's house she was drenched, which made her rethink the entire plan all together. Maybe she could just leave the village now but then wait out the rain before moving forward? She knocked on the side of the door before entering. The lay of the house was very much like Lady Kaede's hut except much larger. Before the door there was a space for cooking, as you went further in, you came across a raised wooden platform that the family of seven used to sleep (by this point, Miroku and Sango had had an additional two children-another boy and girl. At the moment, they were all getting ready for dinner. It appeared to be Miroku's turn to cook.

"Hello Sango, Miroku," Rin said quickly.

"Oh, hi Rin, what brings you here?" asked Sango.

"And you're all wet," Miroku followed.

"Just came to borrow Kirara for a bit, do you mind?" Rin asked as she picked up Kirara from her spot within the right front corner of the house.

"Right now? I mean, I guess," Rin was out the door before Sango even finished, "not…"

"I wish I could say that was strange. Aaah ah!" Miroku sucked on the finger he just burned.

* * *

Rin ran into the forest like her life depended on it. The sound of heavy breathing rivaling the sound of the rain.

"Keeeeew."

"Sorry, Kirara. I'll get us out of this rain soon, I promise."

She tucked Kirara into the front of her kosode so that the little demon was at least warm, although wet. After running for what felt like forever, Rin stopped beneath the shelter of a large tree to catch her breath. Every part of her was uncomfortably wet, but it didn't matter because she had been able to leave the village without rising too much suspicion. Soon Lady Kaede would find the note Rin had left and, hopefully, no one would decide to look for her. Just in case they did, Rin tried to put as much distance as she could between them. Her biggest concern was Inuyasha, though perhaps the rain masked Rin's fading scent. She sent up a silent apology to everyone.

Drops of water tik tak'd against the leaves of trees and other surrounding flora. Rin slumped to the floor, dropping her sword next to her and resting her back against the bark of a nearby tree. At that moment Kirara jumped out from within Rin's chest and shook off her water soaked fur, then she turned to look at Rin.

"Keeew."

"Sorry Kirara, I know it's too late to ask but...I need help finding Lord Sesshomaru."

Kirara sat on her hind legs and turned her head to the side, "Keeew."

"I know I know but I didn't want to stand around arguing my case. Everyone would have worried and it would have become this big thing and…" Rin sighed, " I just want to see him...is that so bad?"

"Keeeew," Kirara nestled her head against Rin's knee, showing that she understood and would help her.

"Thank you Kirara," Rin petted Kirara's tiny head, "I feel much better with you here, and for what it's worth I did leave a note."

It was then that Rin took a look at her surroundings and noticed that she was very well hidden within a small circle of large bushes next to the tree she had previously had her back against. At this point, it was almost evening and the rain had begun to lighten to a sprinkle. Rin decided to move on until sunset and then set up a campfire before it was too dark. With the rain showing signs of finally stopping Rin decided there was no point in continuing with wet clothes.

"Okay, Kirara. I'm going to need you to stay alert and let me know if someone's coming. I'm going to change out of these clothes."

"Keeew."

Rin set her bag next to her and began to peel the kosode off of her body. She squeezed as much water out as she could and then hung it from the side of the bushes, hoping that it would begin to dry if that was even possible. Rin was happy she hadn't brought along any of her nice kimonos, they would have been ruined with the rain. The demon slayer outfit underneath the kosode was no less wet so, after looking around once again, Rin began to take off those clothes too. Before taking everything completely off, Rin unwrapped her bag and took out the spare demon slayer outfit she had packed. It was damp but at least it wasn't drenched. This situation was less than ideal but she wasn't going to get far if she got sick for wearing wet clothes. Rin took off what remained of her wet clothes and began to replace them with the slightly damp ones. Just then, Kirara growled.

Rin stood still.

No, not now, Rin thought. She had only managed to put on the spare tights brought along with the shoes she'd been wearing, but her upper body was down to the wraps she used to keep her breasts in place. Whispering, she told Kirara to not make a noise. The last thing she wanted to do right now was fight half dressed. Her arms, back, and part of her chest were exposed, she also had no armor. Rin crouched as close as she could to the bushes, turning her head enough so that she could see the demon approaching.

The hog demon's entire upper body was all rough brown skin and muscle while its legs were big black hairy hooves. Its big bulging eyes were utterly red with only small dots for pupils. Yellow fangs stood out from within it's mouth and it's breath came in puffs making the golden ring that hung from it's nostrils move. Rin calculated that it was a good 10 feet taller than her but knew that she could take him no problem...if it came to that. Rin prepared by slowly reaching for her sword.

"You smell so good my sweet, come out and let us get a taste of that creamy skin!"

The demon charged her and Rin had no choice but to jump out from her hiding spot, fortunately with her sword in hand. The rush of air on wet skin gave Rin goosebumps but she barely noticed.

"Kirara!"

At that moment Kirara transformed and flew towards Rin while growling at the demon. Rin mounted Kirara's full-sized body and flew in a circle until they were both facing the demon head on.

"You truly are a magnificent sight!" Mocking laughter rose from deep within the demons throat. "Come now girl, you must know that you cannot beat me! " It charged again, this time placing the full force of its strength in its right arm.

"Kirara, go!" Rin and Kirara flew upwards completely avoiding the shot, for all the demon's talk it was very slow. The demon looked around for them confused and that's when Rin took the opportunity to fly behind it. The demon turned to look at Rin just as she and Kirara flew forward, aiming to slice it's head clean off.

The hog-demon had a companion she hadn't noticed, one that looked just like the demon before her but with red skin. The red hog-demon punched Kirara with its right hand knocking Kirara hard to the left and against a tree, returning Kirara to her small demon state.

Rin, on the other hand, fell to the floor and hit her head on a rock. Before her eyes closed and her world went dark, she saw the figure of someone behind the demons surrounding her. _Sesshomaru-sama!_

Both hog demons approached the seemingly lifeless body of the human girl, there was something inviting about the way that she was sprawled on the floor. Like her delicate body begged to be ripped and torn to pieces. The smell of blood filled their nostrils and made their mouth water.

"She won't be enough for the both of us," said the red hog demon, mesmerized by how delicious this precious little snack looked.

"I found her!" the brown hog demon retorted.

"Yes, but I killed her," the red demon replied just as fiercely.

Suddenly, a thick metal chain tied around the hooves of the red hog demon and then tightened making the demon lose balance, "Ah-aaah! Uff!" It landed hard on its chest, dangerously close to Rin's body.

Kohaku pulled back the chain that was attached to his Kusarigama and jumped forward landing on the back of the red hog demon. He ran across the demon's upper back and used its head to propel himself forward. With an up and down motion, Kohaku sliced the brown hog demon in half, from the tip of its skull to the space between its hooves. Kohaku skillfully landed behind the brown hog demon's disintegrating body and then turned to face the red hog demon.

"How dare you! You killed my brother!" The demon propelled himself forward, mouth wide open.

Kohaku would have smiled under different circumstances, but at the moment all he cared about was getting Rin help. So instead he did a quick front flip in order to avoid the demon and then, just before he landed on the demon's back, sliced its head off. The body slumped and disintegrated at Kohaku's feet.

Kirara, now in her full-sized demon form again, was nudging at Rin's body when Kohaku reached them. Rin was alarmingly still and a little blood pooled around the left side of her head.

"No...Rin.."

Kohaku knelt next to Rin, she looked so fragile that he hesitated to touch her. With sudden clarity, Kohaku ordered Kirara to bring Lady Kaede or Kagome. Kirara jumped into action and flew as fast as she could in the direction of the village.

With that responsibility off his shoulders, Kohaku moved to turn Rin over. Since he was kneeling to the right side of her, he used his right hand to gently lift her head with her face looking at him. Then, using his left hand, he turned her on her back. He had to be very careful so it took him quite a bit, but once she was on her back Kohaku was able to lay her head down again. Turned over, the injury was noticeable on the top right corner of her face. The injury looked minimal, just a small crack that seemed to dig in and expose the color of her skull, around it the skin was swollen and blood continued to slowly drip out. Kohaku undid the sash at his waist and lightly pressed it against the wound while he waited.

Despite his calm exterior, Kohaku felt like his heart threatened to jump out of his chest. With time to think he began to panic and become aware of other things too, like the fact that Rin-for some reason-was half naked. He had nothing to cover her with, so he settled for looking away.

* * *

Jaken, flying on Ah-Uhn next to Lord Sesshomaru, saw his master's face take on a series of different expressions. Something was wrong and whatever Lord Sesshomaru realized made him fly faster.


	4. Chapter 4

*I do not own Inuyasha. It and any characters that may appear in it belong solely to Rumiko Takahashi. Please don't sue me.*

The smell was faint, deluded, mixed in with the scent of wet dirt, grass, and trees. At first he hadn't thought it possible, she was safe, he had taken extra precautions to ensure this. But he knew better than to ignore his instincts and the closer he followed the hint of her blood, the more his relief turned into something else.

Sesshomaru ground his teeth as he corrected himself, she _should_ have been safe. He had placed her in the care of Inuyasha and his human friends presumably because that village was more secure than anywhere else. So why was he now flying forward with the scent of her blood in the air? The familiar scent. The terrifying scent. He dismissed the foreign fear that rose in his chest, it hardened his resolve and pushed him forward faster and faster. He frowned at the distance, frustrated at the incompetent demons and humans in his life.

Sesshomaru wasn't oblivious to the effect Rin had on him, it had been a big factor in his decision to leave her behind. Knowing she was in danger interfered with his fighting skills and he simply was not willing to be unnecessarily distracted. He had firmly believed that as long as she was away living the life she wished among humans, at least until she was old enough to choose if that was what she wanted to do for the rest of her life, she would be okay. A miscalculation.

He landed before a small patch of red tinted dirt and knelt on one knee. He stared at the damp spot long and hard, the fingertips of his right hand lightly grazing over the remnants of the mixture she left behind. He turned his hand over and stared at it fiercely before closing it into a tight fist. Obviously she had been moved, and though the trail of her scent headed in the direction of the village, Sesshomaru couldn't be sure she was out of danger. He rose swiftly, his mind made up on how to proceed, it wasn't long before he shortened the distance between him and the village.

* * *

Kohaku hated the smell of medicine, it reminded him of impending death. Ironic since medicine is used to cure, and yet, the strength of the smell matched the strength of the medicine which meant that the wound would take longer to heal. At the very least, it certainly looked that way.

Rin's body laid on a standard futon located against the back right corner of Lady Kaede's hut (if you faced in from the entrance), with her head on the side of the back wall. Kohaku sat to the right of her with his back against the wall, his right leg bent with his left stretched out, and his right hand resting on his bent knee. The hut was warm and dimly lit by the fire that burned near the entrance. The sound of crackling wood gave off a peaceful vibe, one that failed to reach Kohaku. He couldn't get the sound of her crashing to the ground out of his head; the vivid image of her bleeding before him was still very fresh. Looking at Rin now, he could barely recognize her with all the bruising and swelling, the direct consequence of landing hard on the ground with her face down. His heart clenched and a lump formed in his throat.

Kohaku considered Rin a very dear friend, the one person he had been able to share everything with, especially after the defeat of Naraku. Their time spent together in the care of Lord Sesshomaru had not been for nothing, they both deeply respected the great demon, though their present feelings regarding him were on vastly different ends of the spectrum.

Rin groaned in pain. By this moment, everyone in the village must know that Rin meant to go out looking for Lord Sesshomaru. Everyone knew about her feelings towards Lord Sesshomaru, everyone saw how it went from childish admiration to a crush to love , everyone also knew that it was completely one sided. Lord Sesshomaru clearly cared for Rin but it simply did not lean the same way that her feelings did. There were too many factors that impeded their relationship from ever becoming the kind of relationship that Rin wished. It was hard to understand Lord Sesshomaru but one thing was clear, his demon pride presided over everything. Kohaku hurt for his friend because he knew that her feelings would never lead anywhere. Rin probably knew this too and that was why she tried to cling to Lord Sesshomaru in any other way that she could. However, this time she had gone too far. He couldn't believe that she had exposed herself this way! No more. As her friend he could not allow her to continue pursuing such a fruitless endeavor.

Kohaku moved away from the wall and sat cross legged next to Rin, fully facing her. Behind all the swelling and black and purple bruises Rin was a very pretty woman, something that Kohaku attributed to her happy personality. Kohaku's heart clenched at the sight of Rin. Her typically glossy straight black hair was dull with remnants of dirt and blood (Lady Kaede and Kagome had tried their best to clean her up without moving her too much). Normally, it flowed and swayed with the breeze, always landing delicately over her shoulders or caressing her face. There were still times when it became a tangled mess, kind of like now, but not nearly as often as when they were children. Swollen eyelids replaced Rin's bright brown eyes while eyebrows that once framed and complemented those curious eyes were lined with scratches.

"Well," he began, "at least you didn't break your nose." He hovered his right hand over her face, scared that his touch would break her. He noticed that her top lip was split near one of the corners of her mouth. Without thinking his thumb ran across her lips, they were too pale compared to their usual dewy red.

Kohaku shook himself from the trance he was in and moved his hand away slowly, his breathing for some reason shaky. He continued to look at her while he lowered his hand to the ground but then he couldn't anymore, it was torture. This was his fault, he should have taken her to safety first, he should have come back later to properly finish off those demons, he should have...Exhaustion overcame him and just like that he laid next to the futon and snuggled his forehead against her shoulder, taking care not to come into contact with her anywhere else for fear of hurting her, then he promptly fell asleep.

* * *

Everyone in the village quietly made way for Lord Sesshomaru, their eyes filled with hesitancy, fear, and resentment (Rin is a very precious member of their community). Though it had been a while since they had heard of Lord Sesshomaru killing a human, their guard remained up, after all he remained a powerful demon.

Jaken had finally caught up to his Lord and as he descended on Ah-Uhn, he wasn't surprised to feel the tension in the air. No one said a word because they all knew what had happened to Rin and they all knew that he was there for her. Ahead of him Inuyasha and his friends stood solemnly, the demon slayer woman and monk were at his left while the young priestess with the little fox demon stood to his right. Inuyasha was the only one to stick his chin up in defiance.

"About time you showed your face around here-uff!" Kagome elbowed Inuyasha, "What the hell was that for?!"

"Inuyasha, sit."

Inuyasha face planted into the ground with a loud thud.

Kagome cleared her throat and stared head on at Sesshomaru when he stopped before her.

"She's unconscious but out of danger. I'm telling you this because she's going to look much worse than she really is," Lord Sesshomaru somehow grew taller but Kagome kept her voice as steady as she could. "Kohaku was the one who found her, he's actually in there with her right now. I assume you know the way," she stepped aside and Sesshomaru walked forward again. Before he passed her, and before she could stop herself, she said, "I think we all know that she wanted to go looking for you. Just think about that before you place blame anywhere."

Lord Sesshomaru stepped on Inuyasha when he began walking towards Lady Kaede's hut, his muffled protest did little to make Lord Sesshomaru feel better. The little toad demon quickly followed after his master and strung Ah-Uhn along after him, both of them taking their turns to step on Inuyasha like he was their welcome mat. His grunts of pain received no one's attention.

Lord Sesshomaru stood before the entrance of the little wooden house and stopped, "Jaken, stay here."

"But Lord Sesshomaru I-" one side glance from Lord Sesshomaru was all it took to silence the little demon.

He stepped inside and no one dared follow after him.

Nothing in Lord Sesshomaru's countenance could have revealed the seething anger churning within him at the sight of Rin. Visibly, he appeared as composed and unconcerned as ever, but the murderous intent that emanated from him was so strong and ferocious that it woke Kohaku from his sleep. In seconds Kohaku was up and in a fighting position before he was even fully awake, a tendency developed from his demon hunting. Lord Sesshomaru ignored him and stood at the foot of Rin's bed.

It took Kohaku another few seconds to realize who was before him and it wasn't until he saw Lord Sesshomaru that his resentment towards him materialized. The simple fact was that if Lord Sesshomaru had been more diligent in his communication with Rin then maybe she wouldn't have felt so desperate to go out and search for him. True, Rin was too impulsive to do her any good but still...Kohaku straightened himself before speaking.

"Lord Sesshomaru."

The great demon didn't even acknowledge him.

"They say she's out of danger," Kohaku offered. "I don't know why she was so far out but Kagome says that Rin planned to wash herself nearby," an evident lie now to the both of them.

Silence. Not even an awkward silence, just plain silence. That's how invisible Kohaku felt to Lord Sesshomaru's focused gaze.

"I mean, the fact that she was half-naked means it must have been true and she was just caught by those demons at the wrong time..." Kohaku briefly wondered why he was pushing something he knew was not true, then realized what he had just revealed.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. Finally, movement.

"You...probably didn't know that part."

Kohaku's mixed feelings towards Lord Sesshomaru were making him ramble on like an idiot.

"You found her," Lord Sesshomaru stated.

"Yes, just in time..." Kohaku felt the air begin to grow tense with the implications that came with his statement.

It was at this moment that Kohaku knew that Lord Sesshomaru wanted to be left alone with Rin. It was also at this moment that Kohaku decided that he could no longer allow it. Rin's current state was a direct result of her unconditional feelings for Lord Sesshomaru, feelings that may have been valid before but that now proved a danger to her. With his mind made, Kohaku's words gained clarity.

"She is where she needs to be Lord Sesshomaru, she is home."

They both stood in place for what seemed like hours but must have only been a few minutes. Then Lord Sesshomaru walked out without a backward glance.

* * *

To everyone it seemed like Lord Sesshomaru was simply taking a stroll in the direction of the meadow, but Jaken knew better. Lord Sesshomaru was pissed off, very pissed off. He was so angry that he had reached cold disinterest, the kind that any smart individual knew to stay away from. So that's what Jaken did, he stood in place and instead thought he should take his turn to check on Rin.

Sesshomaru might have killed him.


End file.
